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Taste of the Town in Batavia: Crabby Boil aims to catch seafood lovers

New addition joins Randall Road dining scene

[Sandy Bressner - sbressner@shawmedia.com]

[Lyndon Ferrer and his family have created Crabby Boil, newly launched in Batavia.]

BATAVIA – Seafood gets Cajun-inspired treatment at the newly opened Crabby Boil in Batavia, where bibs are provided to diners who are encouraged to get messy as they crack into such seafood favorites as crab, shrimp, lobster, mussels and crawfish.

The interior's mix of seating includes picnic and conventional tables amid wharf-like timbers and a few nautical touches to pay homage to casual coastal eateries. It's a family operation, owner Lyndon Ferrer said, noting the entire kitchen was redone during the remodeling of the space at 220 N. Randall Road.

He said he and his wife, May, have been experimenting with the recipes for years, with a dream to someday own their own business. They brought her brother on board as operations manager in the kitchen and one of the cooks.

"It's Cajun based, but we have our own twist on it," Ferrer said of Crabby Boil's dishes. "We like the feel of … Batavia. All the people that have come through so far are awesome. The city is awesome to work with. We like the community [and] like what they are building and we want to be a part of it. … It made sense to open this type of business in this area where there really is nothing like it."

Beer and wine are being added to their offerings as they fine-tune the operation. In explaining the full-service restaurant's concept, Ferrer said emphasis is paid to service.

"We are a seafood boil where you pick your choice of shellfish, pick your sauce or any additional adds-ons," he said, noting they are then mixed together, put in a bag and boiled. "We serve it to you in a bag or dump it out on your [butcher paper-covered] table to make a nice wonderful mess with."

[Sandy Bressner - sbressner@shawmedia.com]

While the restaurant provides silverware, people are encouraged to just dig in. Other utensils include crackers for the shellfish, which includes three types of crab: snow, king and Dungeness.

"People like to build their own stuff," he said of the ingredient-selection process. "It's part of the fun. Everyone has their own taste."

He's fond of all the sauce flavors – a mild, medium or hot Cajun along with garlic butter, lemon pepper or cilantro lime – and suggests mixing a few or combining them all together for signature flavor. He said they range in heat from mild to hot, but not crazy hot.

"You feel the spice and still taste the food," he said, adding that all the dishes are cooked to order.

For diners looking for a suggested dish, he recommends crab legs.

"We have a combo that features a pound of snow crab legs and king crab legs [with] corn, potato and andouille sausage – mingled with the seafood," he said.

The menu also offers such items as crab cakes, calamari, fried shrimp and fish and chips and rice.

[Photo provided by Mama May]

Children don't just gravitate to the chicken tenders and fries on the menu, Ferrer said.

"We’ve had plenty of kids come in and dig in with their parents," he said.

The relaxed vibe is part of the draw.

"How do you eat crab legs without getting messy?" he asked. "Come in, have your fun and eat great food and spend time with the people you want to. Leave the mess here."

He said the seafood boil concept is catching on around the country, and thanked God, his family and the staff without whom the new enterprise wouldn't have been possible.

Crabby Boil's hours are 4 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The restaurant, which does not take reservations, plans to add carry-out service. For more information, go to crabbyboil.com or call 630-454-4392.